Two tipping questions - pick up food and curbside pickup

[dogememe]

I'm curious about tipping on these two cases.

1. Ordering food on a restaurants website and picking it up. I lean towards no, as I typically expect the tip at a restaurant to go to the server as they are actually doing things for me... taking my order, going back and forth to the table, etc. But I have been ordering for pick-up at a local place that has the best burritos in town and yesterday I was waiting for my order and boredly reading the other receipts and everyone else was tipping 15%+ on their pick-up orders. I have just been doing a $1 tip or 10% which is like $1.60 because I do appreciate the people working there but now I feel bad?

2. Curbside pickup (like at Target) especially if it's not nice outside and/or I have large/heavy items like cases of water. I will give them like $3 or $5 or something as they are saving me effort. I could find a parking spot, walk inside the store, and bring my own stuff, but they are doing it for me so I can sit in my car and mess with my phone while they do all the work. But they always act super surprised when I tip them so is this weird?

 

[racer12306]

Carryout food is a no, except for one specific place.

Curbside pickup, are you sure they're allowed to truly accept it? I know when we started using Walmart pickup I tried to tip the person but was told they're not allowed to accept tips and if they do take the money for whatever reason, they have to put it in the charity bin they have in the store. This saves me so many hours a month, I would tip every time. What I do instead is at least help load all of our groceries while more people just pop the truck and cruise their phones.

 

[Schmoe]

No and no.

 

[2strokeNorthstar]

1. No, sometimes I never even see or interact with a person.
2. Is it a free option? If I'm already paying a fee, no.

 

[Ausfahrt]

Tipping is out of control. Big business is purposely underpaying their employees and expecting the customer to make up the difference.

 

[SC Maintenance]

I agree that tipping is out of control.

I have denigrated to tipping 10% at carry out or order at a counter food service in hopes they don't spit in my food. I eat out much less these days.

Pick up at a retailer I never have. I would be surprised if there even supposed to accept tips. Honestly they likely work pretty hard for their money, so it wouldn't offend me if others do.

 

[D60]

I also think a little tough love is in order. I feel bad for the workers as I think they're underpaid, but I've basically stopped tipping in these scenarios because I feel like it's a BandAid.

If the workers really start to hurt, employers won't be able to fill these positions and some sort of market correction will occur.

Basically, don't expect ME to (try to) fix a much larger problem.

Even if restaurants have to raise their prices or close, that's not my fault. I'll cook at home and life goes on.

 

[Pew]

#1) No. Carry out "servers" (in my experience of serving) get regular pay. The epidemic of tipping at fast food places where employees get regular non-tipped wages angers me.

#2) I don't know I haven't used that service yet. Maybe a few bucks but that's it.

 

[alarmguy]

I only tip in restaurants and bars.
I don’t do pick up and I hate being asked for a tip in other places when I use my charge card because the employer doesn’t pay them enough.
Sorry, but that’s the deal

 

[Urshurak776]

So, my group is responsible for factory training. When we put on a class, we cater lunch for the 3 days of instruction (depends on class.)

I catered BBQ, used this place for a long time, and they added on a $40 delivery and setup fee. Used to be $15. Then, there is another line that asks if I want to add a tip? There was no limit as to what you could put on the line, so I said "Sure, take $20 off the delivery and setup fee and give it to your driver."

Probably got our food spit on, but yeah.

As far as the "Are they allowed to accept it" comments. One of my first jobs was a bag boy for Albertsons grocey store in San Antonio. 1984 timeframe. Saturday night (Easter Sunday was next day.) A local church was picking up supplies for their pancake breakfast. What is it with Churches and pancakes? Anyway, I digress. I took out all the groceries for them (it was like two minutes AFTER we closed.) The guy handed me $20 as a tip. We were not allowed to take tips. This was 1984, and I was a young teen. That was a lot of money.....so I took it. Probably going to hell for it, but here we are.

 

[Pablo]

Tipping thread!

NOPE,NOPE

 

[chainblu]

No, unless they have gone the extra mile, like being open on Christmas day.
No.

 

[bdcardinal]

So, my group is responsible for factory training. When we put on a class, we cater lunch for the 3 days of instruction (depends on class.)

I catered BBQ, used this place for a long time, and they added on a $40 delivery and setup fee. Used to be $15. Then, there is another line that asks if I want to add a tip? There was no limit as to what you could put on the line, so I said "Sure, take $20 off the delivery and setup fee and give it to your driver."

Probably got our food spit on, but yeah.

As far as the "Are they allowed to accept it" comments. One of my first jobs was a bag boy for Albertsons grocey store in San Antonio. 1984 timeframe. Saturday night (Easter Sunday was next day.) A local church was picking up supplies for their pancake breakfast. What is it with Churches and pancakes? Anyway, I digress. I took out all the groceries for them (it was like two minutes AFTER we closed.) The guy handed me $20 as a tip. We were not allowed to take tips. This was 1984, and I was a young teen. That was a lot of money.....so I took it. Probably going to hell for it, but here we are.

I work in a parts department and people will tip us when we put new batteries in their keyfobs. We all agreed to pool the tip money and buy pizza or tacos on a Friday like we do with the metal scrap money.

As far as tipping, I am bad at being a sucker for it. There is a Italian place I go to for lunch a few times a week and sometimes dinner. It is the kind where you order at a counter, then sit down and they bring it to you. I always tip the max on the screen because everyone there knows my order and remember all the details. They have a rewards program where you get $5 off after a certain number of times, so I take the coupon and then put the $5 as a tip which is more than the tip usually is, but less than the total bill usually is.

 

[Pew]

As far as tipping, I am bad at being a sucker for it. There is a Italian place I go to for lunch a few times a week and sometimes dinner. It is the kind where you order at a counter, then sit down and they bring it to you. I always tip the max on the screen because everyone there knows my order and remember all the details. They have a rewards program where you get $5 off after a certain number of times, so I take the coupon and then put the $5 as a tip which is more than the tip usually is, but less than the total bill usually is.

The great thing about being regulars and having regulars is that the restaurant staff will 100% remember you. If you're cool then the staff will absolutely take good care of you. I had an older couple as regulars when I worked at Baker's Square that always ordered the same Pick 3 on Wednesday. The wife ordered a grilled cheese with no tomato, a soup I can't remember, and warm apple pie with ice cream; I don't remember what the husband ordered.

 

[I<3oil]

I'm curious about tipping on these two cases.

1. Ordering food on a restaurants website and picking it up. I lean towards no, as I typically expect the tip at a restaurant to go to the server as they are actually doing things for me... taking my order, going back and forth to the table, etc. But I have been ordering for pick-up at a local place that has the best burritos in town and yesterday I was waiting for my order and boredly reading the other receipts and everyone else was tipping 15%+ on their pick-up orders. I have just been doing a $1 tip or 10% which is like $1.60 because I do appreciate the people working there but now I feel bad?

2. Curbside pickup (like at Target) especially if it's not nice outside and/or I have large/heavy items like cases of water. I will give them like $3 or $5 or something as they are saving me effort. I could find a parking spot, walk inside the store, and bring my own stuff, but they are doing it for me so I can sit in my car and mess with my phone while they do all the work. But they always act super surprised when I tip them so is this weird?

No tipping and no tipping.

 

[Hall]

I've stopped tipping unless it's a sit-down place where a server brings food and drinks to our table. Well, there is a local bar/restaurant that we will get carry-out from occasionally and I will give a small tip. We got (3) orders of wings and some fries on Sat evening for $42 and I did give a $5 tip. I don't know who gets it though.... The lady that took my order on the phone, the lady that I paid, or the lady that went into the kitchen and brought it out to me. I added $5 which is 11%.

 

[D60]

They have a rewards program where you get $5 off after a certain number of times, so I take the coupon and then put the $5 as a tip which is more than the tip usually is, but less than the total bill usually is.

Had a similar situation at a local brewpub and they discontinued their loyalty program. This is another way inflation hits us: perks, loyalty programs, "accrued freebies" slowly go away. It's not the merchants' or retailers' fault ‐‐ they're just looking for a way to keep costs down.

In the mechanical world, Tekton finally had to implement a minimum for free shipping. I don't blame Tekton.

 

[4WD]

Had a similar situation at a local brewpub and they discontinued their loyalty program. This is another way inflation hits us: perks, loyalty programs, "accrued freebies" slowly go away. It's not the merchants' or retailers' fault ‐‐ they're just looking for a way to keep costs down.

In the mechanical world, Tekton finally had to implement a minimum for free shipping. I don't blame Tekton.

As a long time traveler - what I see more and more is to “miss” your points or status - and then they say YOU need to prove it …

I’ll say publicly the best at getting it right are Hilton and Marriott - the worst by far: Enterprise Car rental - with airlines in between …

Right, so companies with the most sophisticated tracking systems on the planet need me to prove it LoL …

 

[dogememe]

As a long time traveler - what I see more and more is to “miss” your points or status - and then they say YOU need to prove it …

I’ll say publicly the best at getting it right are Hilton and Marriott - the worst by far: Enterprise Car rental - with airlines in between …

Right, so companies with the most sophisticated tracking systems on the planet need me to prove it LoL …

Best Buy rewards suck. You buy a million bucks worth of stuff (OK not really but you get my point) then you get a $5 reward that expires in like two weeks

 

[Ausfahrt]

Tips started out as a way to give little extra for good service. I tip at least 20% and usually more at restaurants when I'm served.

My wife and I recently ordered Mexican food to go from a local restaurant and the bill was 44 bucks and change. I drove to pick it up and gave the guy three twentys and he asked me if I wanted change.

Really?!?